A Museum of Polish vodka will be built in 2017 on the site of the former Koneser distillery in Warsaw’s Praga district, highlighting the history of a tipple that is a national symbol.

The museum, which is expected to attract thousands of tourists, is an initiative by the Pernod Ricard distilled drinks company, under the auspices of the Polish Vodka Association.

Polish vodka is one of the country’s most recognizable brands internationally. It is also a leading Polish export product and an integral part of the national heritage, with a production tradition going back more than 600 years.

“The Scots have their whisky museums, the French have their cognac and champagne museums; it’s time for Poles to begin showing off their national tipple as well,” said Andrzej Szumowski, president of the Polish Vodka Association.

In May, a lease agreement was signed under which the Museum of Polish Vodka will open in a redeveloped 19th-century building within the compound of the former Koneser distillery.

The museum will be part of the Centrum Praskie Koneser project being carried out by developers BBI Development and Liebrecht & wooD. “We plan to build a multifunctional quarter offering an attractive combination of residential, commercial and cultural space so much needed in present-day Warsaw,” said Marc Lebbe, managing director of Liebrecht & wooD. The Koneser complex project involves the adaptation of historic post-industrial factory buildings once used by the vodka distillery and the erection of modern facilities matching the historic fabric of this part of the city. The residential part of the project is already under construction, and retail, service and office space will soon begin to emerge as well.

The former Koneser distillery is a unique site that features post-industrial red brick buildings and preserved historic installations that were once used for the production of vodka and now offer an atmosphere not to be found anywhere else. It is here that well-known vodka brands such as Luksusowa and Wyborowa were once produced.